ISRO wants to partner with ESA on Apophis Asteroid Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) will work together on the RAMSES project, which will focus on the asteroid Apophis, which will pass close to Earth in 2029. This project shows how more people around the world are working together to study near-Earth objects.

Objective of the Ramses mission

The 375-metre asteroid Apophis will pass just 32,000 kilometres from Earth, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for scientists to learn more about space. The aim of the RAMSES mission is to closely observe the asteroid so that we can learn more about its potential threats to Earth.

ISRO’s involvement

ISRO Chairman Somnath said that the organisation would like to interact with the asteroid during its flyby, but the exact details of the plan are still unclear. Talks are already underway on collaboration with ESA to harness the capabilities of both groups. Asteroids are fragments of the Solar System left over when it was formed. Asteroids have been ignored in the past, but people are becoming more aware of how dangerous they can be to Earth, especially when you think about how dinosaurs became extinct due to asteroid impacts.

IS4OM Activities and Future Plans

Under the IS4OM project, ISRO has launched initial missions to observe asteroids and intends to set up special telescopes to track them. Working with foreign groups like IAWN and SMPAG will help it better assess asteroid risks and protect the planet. In the future, ISRO wants to work with other major space agencies like NASA and JAXA to strengthen global efforts in asteroid study and planetary protection. This will enhance security plans at national and international levels.

About ISRO

Historic achievements: ISRO, founded in 1969, launched its first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975. This marked the beginning of India’s space exploration journey, resulting in landmark achievements such as the Mars Orbiter (Mangalyaan) mission in 2014, which made ISRO the first Asian space agency to reach Mars.

Recent achievements: ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is known for its cost-effectiveness and launched 104 satellites in a single mission in 2017. The Chandrayaan-2 mission discovered water ice on the Moon, which brought valuable insights to lunar science.

Ambitious goals: ISRO aims to achieve its first manned space flight with the Gaganyaan mission. By 2020, ISRO had also successfully launched a record 312 foreign satellites and collaborated internationally on space technology.

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